51% Of Gen Z, Millennials Daydream About Life Without Social Media, Fullscreen Study Finds

Fullscreen is sharing findings from its inaugural Culture Report — a deep dive into the biggest digital trends among Gen Z and millennials.

In the report, Fullscreen — a WarnerMedia-owned network that reps 2,500 creators who generate more than 7 billion monthly video views — explores how social overindulgence has led many young people today to turn to digital detox, thus potentially making it harder for brands to reach them. (Fullscreen’s inaugural Culture Report was derived from an online survey of 1,500 nationally-represented 13 to 38 year-olds. The Culture Report also features findings from TBH — a research initiative whereby advertisers can tap a pool of roughly 3,000 Gen Zs and millennials to conduct custom research).

The study paints an at-times grim view of digital life by these respondents, with 51% saying that they often daydream about what life would be like without social media, and 54% saying that being constantly strapped to their devices is bad for one’s well-being. Fullscreen also notes that social media users are increasingly seeking to separate themselves from their addictions, and reset their relationships with the digital world. That said, they’re still hooked: 45% said they wouldn’t know who they’d be in real life without a social presence.

“Brands must consider the implications as users redefine their relationships with social media, themselves, and those around them,” states Maureen Polo, the general manager of Fullscreen’s Brand Studio. “The pendulum will swing back to the very reason why we came to social media, for real connection and community. This makes it absolutely necessary for brands to be honest in every connection and make a positive impact on the audience they are trying to reach.”

In terms of advertising, respondents also said that marketing — particularly in the beauty and fashion realm, as well as overly-edited and filtered photos from influencers — are leading to self-confidence issues. Forty-one percent of respondents said that they wished there weren’t any photo-editing apps, and 43% said that beauty marketing made them feel worse about themselves.